How to write a research paper Wiki
Introduction Writing a research paper is an important and useful skill for your academic life, specially if you are passing through school or college. The writing of a research paper has a process, that if followed carefully will lead you to create a useful well written assignment. In this process it is very important to start by choosing the right topic, and to make sure your paper is complete. For this to happen you should include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. One of the most important parts of writting a research paper is to cite properly all of your sources, so you can avoid any complications like plagiarism. The investigation process of your topic is included here. What to Start with There are four points you should take in account when writing a research paper: What is my “genre”? What is my topic? Who is my audience? And where would I begin?(Genre and the Research Paper). To find your genre, first you need to understand that a research paper is the product of “an involved process of research, critical thinking, source evaluation, organization, and composition” (Genre and the Research Paper). Also you should identify your research paper as analytic or argumentative. In an analytic research paper the author does not try to persuade the audience that his ideas are right, even if his topic is debatable or controversial. His real goal is to “offer a critical interpretation of primary and secondary sources throughout the paper” (Genre and the Research Paper). In an argumentative research paper the author is going to support the thesis with the means of primary and secondary sources while trying to persuade the audience that their particular position toward the argument is right. Also the topic is one of the most important parts of the research paper. Finding your Topic Try to choose a topic that interests you, that calls your and other people´s attention, not a boring one. “Talk with your course instructor and classmates about your topic”(writing). It is important to know that your teacher and your classmates think your topic is interesting. "Your attitude towards the topic may well determine the amount of effort and enthusiasm you put into your research" (A Research Guide). When finding your topic it is really important to brainstorm how you are going to approach you topic so you can have the focus you need to find relevant sources (Skene). Nevertheless it is important to understand that the initial topic you start with may not be the exact topic about which you end up writing (Genre and the Research Paper). You need to remember that writing a research paper would be so much easier if you choose a topic that interests you and that you could state an opinion about (Ten Steps for Writing Research Papers). Research Then you should narrow down your topic. For this you should read articles from general sources to know a little background about your topic. (Ten Steps for Writing Research Papers) Also, when you research your information, try to look on sources with authors, instead of sources where anyone can edit. While you read, you should ask yourself questions like: “Who are the important people involved? What are the major issues? What are my opinions regarding the topic? Why is this an important (controversial, interesting) subject? How has the problem (or issue) developed? When? Where?” (Writing a Research Paper). When you do this, you can proceed to the third step, which is doing some deep research in very specialized sources about your narrowed topic. (Ten Steps on Writing Research Papers) (Note: you have to make sure your sources are good sources. For that you can go to https://www.roanestate.edu/owl/research.html.) Here, you should take notes. Writing Your Essay After you are satisfied with your research, start writing your first draft. This will be the first try of your essay. You will start with the introduction. In your introduction you should state how your paper is organized, what is your topic, and also attract your audience to read your paper. This can be done in the opening sentence by saying something interesting about your topic. In this introduction, you will state your thesis. Write your opinion or idea of what you want to show the readers. “Your thesis statement is like a declaration of your belief” (A Research Guide). Write it in one sentence. "The main portion of your essay will consist of arguments to support and defend your thesis" (A Research Guide). After you finish the introduction, you can start writing your body. In this paragraph(s) you have to expose your research and everything in your notes, but also analyze the information and discuss about it. (How to Write a Research Paper) Make sure you never get distracted from your specific topic. When you finish the body reread it and make sure you are satisfied with it, and then start writing your conclusion. In the conclusion you have to re state your research topic and summarize your arguments. After finishing the first draft, you will start your second and final draft. In the final draft, you will write your essay after correcting every mistake you find to make your final draft as perfect as possible. Also, don't forget to cite properly all of your sources on both drafts to avoid plagiarism. In other words, once you have your information sorted you can start doing an outline of what your introduction, body and conclusion will be. In the Introduction, you may include your thesis statement. Try to include the answer to questions such as ¿Why you chose the topic? ¿What called your attention about this subject? And ¿How does your topic relate to you? Then you can start writing the body of your research paper. For the body you can include as much information, as you think is necessary. But be sure you are not lacking. Try to explore deeper what you searched in your sources. For each statement you write try to explore it as deeply as you can and you can even connect it in a personal level. Be sure to use correct english rules while you are writing such as spelling, grammar and punctuation. Once you have developed your body you can continue with the conclusion. In the conclusion, restate your thesis statement, and be sure that you included all information necessary. this is the part that is going to close all you have written, so be careful, and stay on subject. Citing Your Sources Now comes a very crucial part, citation. Make sure to cite ALL of your sources so you can't be accused of plagiarism. Be sure to cite your sources using the MLA format. You can go to citation machine to help you turn your sources into MLA form. Work Cited "A Research Guide for Students." How to Write an A Research Paper - A Research Guide for Students. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2017. "Research Paper FAQ." Roane State Community College. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2017. . "TEN STEPS FOR WRITING RESEARCH PAPERS." American University. American University, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2017. . "Welcome to the Purdue OWL." Purdue OWL: Research Papers. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2017. "Writing a Research Paper." Academic and Professional Writing: Writing a Research Paper. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2017. . Category:Browse